Lone Justice - Sweet, Sweet Baby

 #Lone Justice #Maria McKee #cowpunk #country rock #roots rock #Americana #rockabilly #alt-country #1980s

If there ever was a band that broke up way way way too soon, it would be Lone Justice. The band’s blend of rock meets country, that was often referred to as cowpunk, defined one of the most original sounds of the 1980s. At the heart of the band lay a golden voiced singer that performed with the spirit of Bruce Springsteen meets Janis Joplin meets Dolly Parton. But beyond her thrilling vocals bled the heart of a substantial songwriter who would eventually leave the band for a very successful and critically renowned solo career. It was sad that the band broke up, yet in retrospect, the band actually broke up twice. After the band’s initial record release entitled Lone Justice in 1985, all members of the band left the group with the exception of Maria McKee. Their sophomore debut in 1986 entitled Shelter consisted of an entirely new band and was produced by Steven Van Zandt. Yet the spirit of Lone Justice could still be heard throughout the recording.  The reason is simple; Maria Mckee. After the release of the Shelter album, the band was disbanded once again. The legend of Lone Justice came to a quick end. Geffen records would release a Live at the BBC Radio Concert in 1993, and a greatest hits package with unreleased bonus tracks in 1998. In 2014, Lone Justice fans were presented with a CD of demos entitled This Is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes 1983. There are bands in rock history that make their mark based on just one song or album. Lone Justice was one of those great bands that turned heads the second they hit the concert stage. And like we said before, that power resonated from the heart, soul, and spirit of their phenomenal lead singer Maria Mckee.  From: https://www.classicrockhistory.com/11-best-lone-justice-songs/

Maria McKee - Absolutely Barking Stars

 #Maria McKee #alternative rock #alt-country #folk rock #roots rock #singer-songwriter #1990s #ex-Lone Justice

I am mystified by my obsession with Maria McKee’s Life Is Sweet. I tried several years ago to explain what it is about the album that touches me so, but I don’t think I did a good job. This album went almost unnoticed; McKee, best known as the lead singer for the alt-country band Lone Justice, took a total 180-degree turn from her previous albums and released a raw, powerful collection of songs that hit at the core of my being. Or as McKee says in “Absolutely Barking Stars,” “She plays Pandora with my soul.” It’s as if she is trying to purge some demons from her mind while welcoming angels at the same time, not knowing who was coming or going. But in the process she releases every emotion imaginable. Aside from a few phrases such as the one above, I have no idea what the third cut, “Absolutely Barking Stars,” is about. The lyrics are pretty abstruse (e.g., “Her apron strings are trailing out like sparks / Her comet tail is whipping, slicing up the dark”). But the song is a microcosm of the entire album: sometimes soothing, sometimes angry, but mostly glorious. The song begins with an electric guitar, and Maria McKee’s voice is almost whispering. But the chords change from major to minor in the second measure – something you don’t hear too often that early in a song. She doesn’t stop there, though: In the pre-chorus, the chord progression hits three minor chords in a row, building in tension as her voice, which was earlier almost whispering, is now sounding more anxious and louder. Then the chorus, the majestic chorus, resolves back to the main key, and McKee’s voice, now double-tracked, cracks in jubilation as strings join in the angelic chorus. Her voice splits into melody and harmony later as she sings with herself, like she’s battling her alter ego. Soon the chorus gives way to a powerful, feedback-laden guitar sequence, and then it’s back to McKee to ramp it up again. “Absolutely Barking Stars” leaves me breathless each time I hear it. You may get it, you may not. But listen for the changes in chords, the change in tension and volume, the different textures involved in each part of the song. And appreciate how Maria McKee can go from a whisper to a glorious diva in a matter of measures.  From: https://hooksandharmony.com/absolutely-barking-stars-maria-mckee/

After making her name as the gritty, soulful lead singer of roots rockers Lone Justice, Maria McKee embarked on a solo career that often reflected the country and blues accents of that band's work while also taking on a more eclectic and personal outlook, both in lyrics and music. After the sophisticated pop of her self-titled 1989 solo debut, McKee dove deep into expressive Americana on 1993's critically celebrated You Gotta Sin to Get Saved, next picking up an electric guitar and exploring more experimental paths on 1996's Life Is Sweet. After breaking ties with the major labels, McKee was able to follow her muse without compromise with the sophisticated and impassioned pop/rock of 2003's High Dive and 2007's Late December. After a long layoff from recording, McKee returned in 2020 with the deeply introspective and poetic La Vita Nuova.  From: https://www.shazam.com/artist/maria-mckee/114205